Nottingham Jail and Bail
The Robin Hood Festival is all about joy, justice, and generosity, helping the community to come together to celebrate doing right by our neighbors. The Nottingham Jail and Bail offers a fun way to make that happen, as members of the community help the beneficiaries of the Festival by raising money from their circles of friends, family, co-workers, and faith communities.
How Does the Jail and Bail Work?
The Sheriff of Nottingham and his deputies will playfully “arrest” willing festivalgoers and charge them with silly crimes such as “Disturbing the peace by shopping too much” or “Wandering around with an unauthorized smile.”
The Accused will be brought before the judge who will set the bail which the Accused will raise through social media, text messages, telephone calls, or pleas from their “jail cell” on the Festival grounds, all while enjoying a beverage of their choice!
Once bail has been met, the Accused will be freed from their confinement to continue to enjoy the Festival, knowing they have helped make our community a better place.
What do the Accused Need to Do?
First and foremost, to be willing to play along and have a good time!
The Accused will be supplied with all the necessary information, social media content, logos, etc., to be able to reach out to their social circles to seek support to make bail. Helpers will be available to walk the Accused through the process to be set free as soon as possible (unless they want to stay longer and raise more money!)
Once bail has been met, the Accused will receive our hearty thanks and be considered a Member of the Merry Band!
How will Payments Be Received and Recorded?
The Nottingham Jail and Bail will have online, point-of-sale, and cash/check options to bail out the Accused.
Festival volunteers will help the Accused keep track of the received bail money.
How Does the Jail and Bail Work?
The Sheriff of Nottingham and his deputies will playfully “arrest” willing festivalgoers and charge them with silly crimes such as “Disturbing the peace by shopping too much” or “Wandering around with an unauthorized smile.”
The Accused will be brought before the judge who will set the bail which the Accused will raise through social media, text messages, telephone calls, or pleas from their “jail cell” on the Festival grounds, all while enjoying a beverage of their choice!
Once bail has been met, the Accused will be freed from their confinement to continue to enjoy the Festival, knowing they have helped make our community a better place.
What do the Accused Need to Do?
First and foremost, to be willing to play along and have a good time!
The Accused will be supplied with all the necessary information, social media content, logos, etc., to be able to reach out to their social circles to seek support to make bail. Helpers will be available to walk the Accused through the process to be set free as soon as possible (unless they want to stay longer and raise more money!)
Once bail has been met, the Accused will receive our hearty thanks and be considered a Member of the Merry Band!
How will Payments Be Received and Recorded?
The Nottingham Jail and Bail will have online, point-of-sale, and cash/check options to bail out the Accused.
Festival volunteers will help the Accused keep track of the received bail money.
The Organizers of the Robin Hood Festival are mindful of the seriousness of current national conversations about safety and equity, and this activity is designed purely for lighthearted community fun. The Nottingham Jail and Bail is a playful, consent‑only fundraiser inspired by the fictional Sheriff of Nottingham and is not connected to real‑world policing or justice systems.